Indigo brand
MultiCare Health Systems
MultiCare Health Systems is the largest, community-based, locally governed health system in the state of Washington. The system has dozens of locations and twelve hospitals across Washington, Idaho and Oregon.
DH helped MultiCare launch its urgent care brand, Indigo Urgent Care, in 2018. In the years that followed, DH stayed close to the brand – supporting media and promotional efforts as the urgent care business grew across Washington state.
However, shortly after launch, the business needs of the MultiCare system quickly outgrew the retail-focused scope the Indigo brand was designed for. The system developed additional services like occupational medicine, virtual care and primary care to expand under the Indigo Urgent Care brand. But without clear brand architecture in place to accommodate these new services, Indigo struggled with vague marketing messages and internal confusion about how and when to deviate from Indigo’s and MultiCare’s parent brands.
Summary
After a discovery and definition phase exploring the competitive landscape and evaluating brand models from other industries, DH developed a hybrid branded-house system with simple, unique and direct service line sub-brand names designated by color. This updated brand system also required an evolution to Indigo’s overall positioning, voice and messaging.
After landscape analysis, we identified the following success criteria for the visual brand. The solution must:
- Provide immediate recognition and understanding of the brand providing health care services
- Communicate clarity and imply delineation of company and services offerings
- Prioritize brevity of combined company name +service
- Works with or without MultiCare endorsement
Brand architecture
This brand architecture solution was designed to have the ability to stand alone as well as paired alongside varying partner organizations with or without a visual MultiCare endorsement. DH established a nomenclature for service lines to exist alongside the brand mark that was differentiated by color. We also defined guidelines of how external partnership are communicated in the system.
The evolution was subtle enough to be adopted immediately by the existing retail health brand with minimal operational interruption but also balanced the flexibility and structure needed for rapidly expanding new service lines.
Messaging & positioning
Our work extended beyond visual organization, too. We revisited the Indigo brand position and messaging framework to realign the brand to a broader scope of services, built from easy and convenient experiences, innovative care models and technology – evolving from a confining consumer-oriented retail experience, to one with the flexibility to also address audiences with other needs, like workforce care for example.
Activation
To support this strategic brand evolution, DH developed a multiyear implementation plan detailing website development, environmental signage, sales materials, advertising asset production and media buys. The brand and its business has expanded based on this plan and is currently securing additional service line partnerships and new locations.
